Indian American Fertility Care Advocate Roshni Kamta is Sen. Cory Booker’s Guest at the State of the Union
- After being diagnosed with breast cancer at age 22, she froze her eggs and campaigned for wider access to fertility treatments on behalf of breast cancer patients and women of color in healthcare.
In the wake of Alabama’s State Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos created during the IVF process are “children” under state law, 27-year-old fertility care advocate Roshni Kamta will accompany Sen. Cory Booker (D-.N.J) as his guest at today’s State of the Union address.
The Indian American was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 22, “which led her to freeze her eggs and inspired her advocacy for wider access to fertility treatments on behalf of breast cancer patients and women of color in healthcare, “ according to a press release from Booker’s office.
Kamta’s decision to freeze her eggs came after her oncologist informed her that the chemotherapy she needed to treat her cancer could prevent her from having children in the future. The young woman “found herself grappling with the decision of whether to pursue a costly fertility procedure her insurance was not willing to cover,” the press release said.She applied for and received a grant from The Chick Mission, a non-profit working to ensure that every young women with a cancer diagnosis has the option to preserve their fertility by providing direct financial support, educational programs, and by advocating for state policies that require fertility treatment coverage for cancer patients.
“When diagnosed with breast cancer, I had to advocate for the best care — not only for the medical treatment that would save my life, but also a chance to have a family of my own,” she said. She told The New York Times that she was “overwhelmed and stressed” She “didn’t know if it was working, if I was doing it right.”
According to Booker, Kamta’s “journey as a young woman navigating the daunting intersection of a cancer diagnosis with fertility challenges speaks to her unwavering resilience.” He continued: “As we witness alarming attacks on IVF and other assisted reproductive technology, particularly in the aftermath of the recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling and the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, it’s crucial that we listen to people like Roshni. Recognizing that everyone’s path to parenthood is unique and their decision to pursue IVF deeply personal, we must protect and ensure equitable access to fertility treatments.” He said Kamta’s story is “a testament to the importance of removing barriers to IVF and advancing healthcare policies that prioritize dignity and choice for all.”
A Rutgers University graduate, Kamta lives in Jersey City and works in marketing at Inc. Magazine. The cancer survivor dedicated to sharing her story and advocating for other women going through their cancer journeys, especially women of color who experience cultural disparities in breast cancer treatment.
The Times notes that breast cancer is “the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women of reproductive age; around 9 percent of new cases in the United States are in women under 45. Women are usually advised to wait at least two years after finishing chemo to pursue pregnancy, and even then they may or may not produce healthy eggs. In addition, many women also receive hormone therapy for five or more years after treatment, during which time they either cannot get pregnant or are strongly advised not to.”